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This section contains materials for making an application for an airline licence, including application forms, guidance publications and information about additional CAA services which will help you make your application.

Where to start

Contacting the CAA

We encourage any applicant for an airline licence to contact us at the earliest opportunity. Airline licensing can be complex and the amount of work that needs to be done will be different depending on the exact situation of each applicant. The most straightforward way of getting started with your application is to get in touch with us using the details below:

Further information

The
Airline Licensing pages provide information about the different kinds of licences that are available and the basic requirements for each one.

Consulting ‘Licensing Airlines in the UK’

Full details of requirements to qualify for an airline licence are contained in our publication
Licensing Airlines in the UK. Paragraphs 11-23 provide an overview of the criteria for the basic Operating Licence.

Application fees

There is a fee for applying for an airline licence. Details of the current level of fees are set out in the
Scheme of Charges (Operating and Air Transport Licences, Foreign Registered Aircraft Operating Permits and Scarce Capacity Allocation Certificates).

CAA services

Aviation Intelligence consultancy service

The CAA collects data on air traffic within the UK, much of which is available for free on our website. We also offer a data query and analysis service to assist with traffic forecasting, route development, competitor analysis and understanding of the economics of air travel. Further information can be found on the Aviation Intelligence pages of this website.

Insurance calculator

Our
online calculator will help you assess what minimum level of insurance you need to qualify for a licence. The results can be used as a guide but are only estimates and the true level will be set by the CAA in the course of your application.